What to watch for
Michigan coach John Beilein dubbed Penn State as a "hungry" and "steadily improving" team during a Big Ten teleconference on Monday.

They are adjectives pointing to the only 0-4 team in the conference other than Nebraska. The Nittany Lions have struggled after a 6-1 start to the regular season and are a double-digit underdog as they enter Crisler Center tonight.

For Michigan, Tuesday represents the easiest game on the remaining regular-season schedule. It also represents the program's potential first 4-0 start in the Big Ten since 2003. That start is key with a three-game gauntlet approaching that includes games at Wisconsin and Michigan State and home against Iowa. All three are ranked in the top 15.

The meeting with Penn State is not as much a "must-win" as a "can't-lose." While Michigan rolled by Northwestern, both wins against Minnesota and Northwestern hung in the balance in the final minute of action.

"We could be 1-2 (in the Big Ten) and be the exact same team," Beilein said.

And perception would be wildly different. But the Wolverines aren't 1-2. They're 3-0 and finding ways to win.

"We'ÂÂve got a little bounce in our step and I think the biggest reality is, and we learned it the good way, the detail we have to last-second sitations and valuing each possession -- they understand it now," Beilein said. "It is a possession by possession game and you can't take possessions off offensively or defensively."

In looking to handle Penn State, U-M will need to slow down the backcourt of Tim Frazier and D.J. Newbill and keep the reins on active, undersized forward Ross Travis. Frazier and Newbill will carry most of the Lions' offensive load, while Travis is the team's best rebounder. As a sophomore, he posted three double-doubles against Michigan.

Reader reaction
Does Michigan take care of business tonight with a wire-to-wire victory or does Penn State pull the Wolverines into another late-game showdown?

Brendan F. Quinn covers University of Michigan basketball. Follow him on Twitter for the latest on Wolverines hoops. He can be contacted at bquinn@mlive.com